July 29, 2011

With no Roy Williams, it may be Kevin Ogletree's time

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett loves to talk about opportunities. It’s sinking in for third-year receiver Kevin Ogletree, who is playing with the first team as the No. 3 receiver in the wake of the release of Roy Williams.

“Yes, it’s a big opportunity for myself, to present myself to my coaches and my teammates as someone valuable,” he said.

Ogletree played in only six games last year, catching only three passes, in part because of a dislocated right toe. It was a step back from his rookie year, in which he played in 11 games.

“Kevin, for the most part, has taken advantage of his opportunities,” Garrett said. “A couple of years ago, he got a few opportunities and really showed it off in games. Last year, when we drafted Dez, those opportunities early in the year were fewer and farther in between for him. When he did get an opportunity later, before he got hurt, he did some nice things.”

Ogletree said his own mistakes have held him back.

“Just being young, making mistakes, not fully understanding everything,” he said. “It’s a process. Coach Garrett always talks about that, and I think this is a big part of the process right here.”

So is it his time?

“It’s our time, I think,” he said. “This team is very excited to bounce back after last year, and I know I want to be a big part of it. So I’m going to work my butt off to do that.”